Best Time to Fly PDX to SMF: On-Time Stats by Hour & Airline
Portland International → Sacramento International
Data through July 2026 · Last updated October 18, 2026
1,966 flights were scheduled from Portland (PDX) to Sacramento (SMF) in the last 12 months, and 82.2% of those that flew arrived on time, 4.6 points above the US average of 77.6%.
Alaska Airlines was the most punctual of the 3 airlines on the route at 92.5%, while Southwest Airlines trailed at 78.2%.
January has been the best month (90% on time) and Thursday the weakest day of the week (76%).
0.2% of flights were cancelled, versus 1.8% nationally.
PDX to SMF on-time performance by airline
Last 12 months. Airlines with fewer than 30 completed flights are marked “limited data”.
| Airline | On time | Avg delay when late | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska Airlines | 92.5% | 47 min | 0.8% | 390 |
| SkyWest Airlines | 84.6% | 59 min | 0.0% | 364 |
| Southwest Airlines | 78.2% | 51 min | 0.2% | 1,212 |
80%+ good 70–79.9% fair <70% poor
Best time of day to fly PDX to SMF
On-time arrival % by scheduled departure hour (local time), 3,850 flights over 24 months.
Show the numbers
| Departure hour | On time | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5am–6am | 96.7% | 0.0% | 214 |
| 6am–7am | 97.4% | 0.5% | 394 |
| 7am–8am | 94.0% | 0.4% | 236 |
| 8am–9am | 95.8% | 1.4% | 72 |
| 9am–10am | 90.7% | 0.0% | 54 |
| 10am–11am | 83.0% | 0.6% | 349 |
| 11am–12pm | 85.8% | 0.3% | 354 |
| 12pm–1pm | 88.5% | 0.7% | 140 |
| 1pm–2pm | 76.3% | 0.0% | 114 |
| 2pm–3pm | 87.8% | 0.0% | 336 |
| 3pm–4pm | 78.3% | 0.0% | 166 |
| 4pm–5pm | 56.6% | 0.0% | 83 |
| 5pm–6pm | 78.1% | 0.0% | 548 |
| 6pm–7pm | 73.7% | 0.0% | 99 |
| 7pm–8pm | 82.2% | 0.0% | 163 |
| 8pm–9pm | 69.2% | 0.0% | 198 |
| 9pm–10pm | 69.8% | 0.8% | 250 |
| 10pm–11pm | 47.5% | 0.0% | 80 |
Best day of the week
24 months, by day of departure.
Best month to fly
24 months, by calendar month.
Holiday travel on PDX to SMF
On-time arrivals during holiday periods compared with all other days, last 24 months.
| Period | On time | vs other days | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thanksgiving week (Tue before to Mon after) | 85.3% | +0.0 pts | 0.0% | 68 |
| Christmas & New Year (Dec 20 - Jan 3) | 68.4% | -16.9 pts | 0.0% | 155 |
| Summer peak (Jun 15 - Aug 15) | 76.9% | -8.3 pts | 0.5% | 793 |
| All other days | 85.3% | — | 0.2% | 2,834 |
Monthly on-time trend
On-time arrival % each month, with the 12-month US average for reference.
What causes delays on this route
Share of reported delay minutes, last 12 months (BTS cause categories).